jlb1705 said:
I'm really impressed performance they gave today. This is a top-15 caliber team, and I think with a little more length on the court, they become a conference championship-caliber team. Tons of credit to Matta and the team for playing for pride this season.
I wouldn't read too much into this win and say they're a Top-15 team yet. The second-half performances against Clemson, Creighton, and Illinois show that this team doesn't have any difference makers coming off the bench, and if Dials gets into foul trouble the game can get out of hand for the Bucks real, real quick.
However, it was a complete performance against a ranked Iowa opponent, and aside from the sloppy play through the opening 6/7 minutes of the second-half, the Bucks dominated throughout. What Thad Matta has done with OB's players, especially considering where this team was last year is amazing. What a difference a coach makes.
I hope the one-year self-imposed probation is enough to appease the NCAA and things don't get any worse from here. A severe recruiting or scholarship limit would really hurt the momentum Matta is building here.
Mostly, I was impressed with the home crowd. They came loud and proud and supportive of their Bucks, which has been the one thing about the program I've been most critical about since the '99 season. Given the great history and tradition of the men's bball program, there is no reason that we should only draw a crowd of fair weather fans or ever have sub .500 seasons. I hope this game is a sign of things to come from the players, program, and the fans.
This is a very exciting time for the OSU programs: fielding nationally competitive teams in men's and women's bball, the outlook for football, hockey ... the facilities, coaches, etc. It's a shame we're getting nothing but negative press, because everything is looking up from here. I hope these teams, the facilities they have available to them, and their coaches are the legacy Andy Geiger is remembered for, because anything else would be a disservice to what he's put together.